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Trip from Goodings Grove, IL to Waukegan, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 20m

Distance

58.5 mi

94 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 15m ★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Goodings Grove, IL, IL

Goodings Grove, IL

Sam McCool

Trip Overview

The drive from Goodings Grove, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 58.5 miles and takes about 1h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Tri-State Tollway, Kingery Highway, South Bell Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 35.2 miles on Tri-State Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.15 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 58.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 20m drive with frequent turns across 58.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 35.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15 miles in.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.5 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
15 mi into trip | ~22m in

Take the exit toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
5
15.6 mi into trip | ~24m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Merge onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17.6 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 139 Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rock...
6
18.2 mi into trip | ~27m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International A...
7
53.6 mi into trip | ~1h 11m in

Take the exit toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 11A Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Goodings Grove, IL and Waukegan, IL, road signs point toward Rockford and Milwaukee.

Rockford

17.6 mi in | ~26m

Milwaukee

18.2 mi in | ~27m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Tri-State Tollway 35.2 mi 43m
Kingery Highway 9.1 mi 12m
South Bell Road 3.9 mi 6m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 2 mi 2m
Belvidere Road 1.9 mi 2m
Belvidere Street 1.6 mi 3m
Archer Avenue 1 mi 1m
IL 83 1 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Tri-State Tollway — 35.2 mi, about 43m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Goodings Grove, IL and Waukegan, IL.

1

Start on CH 37

49 ft · 5 sec · West 143rd Street
2

Turn right onto CH 16

3.9 mi · 6 min · South Bell Road
3

Turn right onto IL 171

1.0 mi · 1 min · Archer Avenue
4

Continue on IL 83

1.0 mi · 1 min · IL 83
5

Continue on IL 83

9.1 mi · 12 min · Kingery Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto I 88; IL 110

2.0 mi · 2 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 139 Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee
10

Merge onto I 294

35 mi · 43 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Exit 11A Toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Turn straight onto IL 120

1.9 mi · 2 min · Belvidere Road
13

Continue on IL 120

1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street
14

Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
15

Turn left onto South Jackson Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Jackson Street
16

Arrive at destination

North Jackson Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 29.2 mi from Goodings Grove, IL · 41m into the drive

city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Des Plaines, IL

29 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Downers Grove, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Des Plaines, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.2 miles from Goodings Grove, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Waukegan, IL

The final approach into Waukegan, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.15 one way

$18.29 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $10.04 $20.08
premium $4.89 $11.26 $22.52
diesel $5.61 $12.92 $25.83

Estimated Tolls: $2.23

Tri-state Tollway (35.2 mi) $2.11
Reagan Memorial Tollway (2 mi) $0.12

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Tolls

$2

Total

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.6 0 $6.14 $2.81
Efficient EV 14.6 0 $5.12 $2.34
EV Truck/SUV 23.4 0 $8.19 $3.74

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Goodings Grove, IL

Afternoon in Goodings Grove on Friday

Local time

3:04 PM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Waukegan, IL

Afternoon in Waukegan on Friday

Local time

3:04 PM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

10 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 20m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Goodings Grove, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 58.5 miles and takes about 1h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, Kingery Highway, South Bell Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 29.2 miles from Goodings Grove, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.15 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.5 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

The main spots that need attention: at 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Goodings Grove, IL and Waukegan, IL, road signs point toward Rockford and Milwaukee.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Waukegan, IL to Goodings Grove, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

59.2 mi 1h 21m

Explore more options from Goodings Grove, IL or browse trips ending in Waukegan, IL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.